Description
Antique Chinese chest restored by hand with floral illustrations (China, c.1860). #7
Chinese opera trunk It has been recovered and restored by hand. With a antiquity estimated to be around 160 years old, it is composed of solid pine wood. Due to the passage of time from its prolonged use, it exhibits some bumps and the paint in some parts appears a little worn but in general it presents a good state of conservation. It is ideal as a storage chest for clothes or as a decorative chest in the dining room. It is also very typical to find it as a piece of decoration in the double room.
It is characterized by its illustrations in various colors of a floral motif, apparently the floral designs represent chrysanthemums, a very popular flower in the traditional Chinese imagination.
In addition to being in very good preservation conditions, it has also been recovered keeping the original metal closure intact. It has the ideal dimensions for storing sets of sheets and towels.
Originally this type of trunks were used by opera groups that traveled the length and breadth of the Chinese Empire. Acting from town to town, they stored their costumes in these trunks called opera trunks. Chinese opera was (and still is, though not to such an extent) as popular in China as were street theater performances and traveling circuses in the West. The chests were usually decorated with typical scenes from famous operas.
- Ref.: AM03050-7
- Dimensions: 86 x 55 x 57 cm (Width x Depth x Height)
- Wood Age: 100 years
- Material: Solid pine wood
- Origin: China, Shanxi
— HISTORIC NOTE–
Chinese culture has been built over millennia and its cultural richness is so vast that every artistic detail has some meaning. For example, the drawing of flowers in Chinese art has been a tool to convey a certain meaning to each work of art. The lotus flower is related to Buddha and represents honor and longevity. In the case of this trunk, chrysanthemums and peonies appear. The chrysanthemum represents nobility and elegance; and the peony represents beauty and fertility among many other meanings.
This antique Chinese chest is a unique piece of art. A centuries-old chest with embedded past life stories. Stories that are heard when contemplating it with serenity. Do not miss this opportunity …
We recommend complementing this piece with a antique sideboard that you can find in our online compilation.
UNIQUE PIECE
